Latch



5mm 3, 192%: 1,496,551 J. J. MCCULLOCH LATCH Filed Nov. 18, 1922 2 Sheets-Shet 1 Jahzz JMr/zuzzmh James 3, W24. 1,496,551

J. J. M CULLOCH LATCH Filed NOV- 18, 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jam J MrEuZZacZz Patented June 3, 1924.

UNITED STATES JOHN J. MGCULLOCHI, 0F EOMEROY, IOWA.

LATCH.

Application filed November 18, 1922. Serial No. 601,749.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JOHN J. MoCULLooH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Pomeroy, in the county of Calhoun and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Latches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to latches, and has for its object to provide a latch capable of automatically looking a closure member and including a handle member which substantially serves as a weight.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a device of this character wherein the handle of the latch member not only serves as a weight, but as a hasp for looking the latch.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a latch of this character including means whereby the latch may be operated from either side of the closure member.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the improved construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more particularly described, fully claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a fragmentary elevation of a door post and frame showing the invention applied;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary end elevation of the door with the invention applied;

Figure?) is a sectional. view showing the mounting of the actuating rod;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary elevation of a door and door post showing the invention from the opposite side to that shown in Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary elevation show ing the invention. applied to the door post end of which is open for the reception of the or frame;

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the keeper plate; and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of therock shaft.

Referring to the drawings, 5 designates a supporting plate having spaced knuckles 6 formed on its upper edge portion, the edge portion 7, beneath the knuckles, being providedwith a slot 8 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

. A rock shaft 9 ismounted inthe spaced knuckles 6, the end portion 10 of said shaft projecting beyond the end Of the knuckle nearest the edge of the door. Depending from the end portion 10 of the shaft is a latch arm 11 having a locking finger 12.

In connection with the rock shaft 9, a novel combined handle, weight and hasp is provided, said memberconsisting of a strip of material 13, having a knuckle 14 on one end thereof, through which extends the portion of the shaft 9 disposed between the knuckles 6, a set screw 15 being used to prevent relative movement of the knuckle 14 and rock shaft;

The portion 16 of the handle member, adjacent the shaft, is provided with a slot 17 adapted to receive a staple 18 carried by the plate 5 immediately beneath the slot 8. The central portion of the strip is curved to provide a handle member 19, the end portion 20 of the strip being extended outwardly substantially in parallel relation to the plate 5. A stop member 20? is connected to the knuckles 6 and bridges the space therebetween to serve as a stop for the handle member to limit upward movement thereof. p

In connection with the latch, a keeper plate 21 is provided. This plate has a relatively large central opening 22, one corner of which is curved as at 28, and depending from the upper edge of the opening, is a lug 24 which cooperates with the adjacent end portion of the opening to provide a. co1npart-ment 25. One edge of the lug 24 is curved as at 26. In the production of the keeper plate, the same is bent transversely on the dotted line a so that the end portion 27 is disposed at right angles to the end portion 28. The end portion 28 of the keeper plate is adapted to be counter-sunk in the inner face of the door post or frame. The door post or frame, inwardly of the keeper plate, is provided with a recess 29, one

latch member 11'. The end portion 27 of the keeper plate is adapted to engage the outer face of the door post or frame, the inner edge of the opening 22 of the plate being flush with the inner wall of the recess 29.

Located slightly below the upper corner of the end 27 is a bracket 30' adapted to receive the end portion 10 of the shaft!) so as to protect said shaft and incidentally serve as a support.

1 Carried by the inner face of the closure member, or that face remote from the face to which the plate 5 is secured, is a supprovided with a slot 37.

porting plate 31 having an extension 32 at its lower portion which serves as a'handle. The upper edge portion of the plate is formed with knuckles 33, spaced to define a slot 34L which extends into the plate 31.

Slidable transversely through the door is a rod 35 which has a lateral extension 36 The outer end of the rod is provided with a knob 38. The extension 36 of the rod is intended to be slidable in the. slot 34, the slot 37 accommodating a pin 39 which passes through the knuckles 38 and which acts to prevent disengagement of the rod from the plate 31 while permitting sliding movement thereof. The extension 35 is provided with an opening 40, for the reception of a pad lock ll. said pad lock preventing movement of the rod so as to prevent actuation of the mecha ni'sm of the look.

In the operation of the device, movement of the closure member toward the door post or frame, will cause movement of the latch member into the recess 29. It will be noted that the latch member 11 is disposed at right angles to the handle member 19 so that the finger 12 oft-he latch member will engage the curved face 26 of the lug 2.4.- and cause said lug to enter the compartment 25. thereby locking the closure member. hen this takes place the portion 16 of the handle member is disposed in engagement with the plate 5 and the staple 18 in the slot 17. A pad-lock 42 is'then engaged with the staple to prevent relative movement of the handle with respect to the plate and thus hold the latch member in its locked position.

In order to actuate the mechanism from the opposite side of the closure member it is only necessary to move the rod toward the closure member through the medium of the rod 38. This causes the opposite end of the rod to engage the inner face of the por tion 16 of the handle, thus swinging the portion 16 outwardly. This 7 causes the latch member to disengage the lug Bet and swing within the recess 29, thus releasing the closure member.

From the foregoing it will be readily seen that this invention provides a novel form of latch capable of being attached to any closure member and operable and also locked from either side. Another important feature is that regardless of the fact that no springs are used, the latch is automatic in its operation, in view of the weight of the handle member 19 and the curved face 26 of the lug 24: which permits'thefinger 12 to move to its locked position. All of these features are possessed by a device which is compact in form and easily operated.

\Vhat is claimed is 1. Iii-combination with a frame and a closure member hingedly mounted within angular keeper plate mounted upon'the inner face of the frame against which the free edge of the closure member is designed to engage, said keeper plate being formed with an opening and having a depending lug extending partly across the opening, the

frame being recessed behind said keeper plate, a plate secured upon one side of the closure member, a handle piv'oted on said second named plate and carrying a rock angular keeper plate mounted upon the inner face of the frame against which the free edge of the closure member is designed to engage, said keeper plate being formed with an opening and having a depending lug extending partly across the opening, the frame being recessed behind said keeper plate, a plate secured upon one sidefof the closure member, a handle pivoted on said second named plate and carrying a rock shaft provided with a latch arm terminating in a shouldered head, the latch arm being adapted to be received within said recess and said head being adapted to engage behind said lug. means for holding said handle against movement, and means operable from the opposite side of the closure member for swinging said handle, said means comprising a rod slidable through the closure member and having one end engaging said handle near its pivot and its other end equipped with a knob, and means for securing said rod against movement towards the handle.

3. A latch device for aswinging door, comprising a keeper plate of angular formation mounted upon the inner face of the door frame against which the free edge of the door comes, the door frame being recessed beneath said plate and the outer face of the plate having an opening leading into said recess, a lug depending from the top of the opening and disposed with its flat side toward the edge of the door, the forward edge of the lug being curved and its opposite edge being straight, a handle pivoted on one side of thedoor and a rock shaft carried by the handle and provided with; a lateral latch arm terminating in a head, the arm being adapted to pass through the opening whereby said head will engage and ride upon the curved edge of said lug and snap into engagement behind said straight edge when the door is closed, swinging of the handle rocking said shaft and disengaging the head from the lug.

4. A latch device for a door hinged Within a frame, comprising a keeper mounted on the door frame, a plate secured on one face of the door and formed with knuckles, a handle having a knuckle disposed between said first named knuckles, a rock shaft passing through all the knuckles and rigidly secured to the handle knuckle and rotatable through the first named knuckles, a latch arm on one end of said shaft terminating in a shouldered head adapted to engage said keeper, a plate secured upon the opposite side of the door and formed with a handle portion and further formed with spaced knuckles, a rod slidable transversely through the door and formed with a lateral extension slidable through the space between said third named knuckles, one end of the rod engaging said first named handle near its pivot and the other end being formed with a knob, and a pin passing through the third named knuckles and through a slot in said extension.

5. In combination with a closure frame, a

closure member movably mounted in said frame, a latch plate carried by one side of the closure member, a rock shaft journaled on said plate, said rock shaft having a latch arm, a handle member secured to the shaft for actuating said rock shaft, a second supporting plate carried by the opposite side of the closure member, a rod slidably mounted on the second mentioned supporting plate and movable through an opening in the closure member, said rod being adapted to extend through an opening provided in the first mentioned supporting plate to raise the handle member, a keeper carried by the frame of the closure member, said keeper having an opening for the reception of the latch arm, and a lug depending from one end portion of said opening for engagement with the latch arm of the shaft.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature,

JOHN J. MCGULLOUH. 

